The Riverside Arts Council, Arts Connection—the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, and Music Changing Lives have formed a regional arts collaborative, Arts for I.E., to bridge arts advocacy and access across the Inland region. Rebecca Havely explains the new organization’s plans…
When COVID-19 began forcing closures and cancelations of events, the Riverside Arts Council, Arts Connection, and Music Changing Lives began brainstorming strategies to bring more visibility to the Inland Empire arts community, and the idea for Arts for I.E. was born. Arts for I.E. will be a single voice that brings the Riverside and San Bernardino Counties together. The organization will: advocate for the Inland Empire arts locally and state-wide; create access to the arts for the under-represented populations; establish an art fund to serve diverse art organizations; and create an online community forum for the arts and artists. The Arts for I.E. collaborative already has 29 partner organizations on board, with more outreach taking place for artists and arts organizations to join.
For more information, email [email protected].
Josiah brainstormed creative strategies with Jennifer Kane, Executive Director of Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County and Patrick Brien, Executive Director of Riverside Arts Council to bring more visibility, resources and partnerships to the IE arts community. Online convenings were the first step, but the group felt more was needed. All three leaders felt a regional approach would be greatly beneficial for the Inland Empire and together the idea of Arts for I.E. was born.\
“The arts in the inland region have too often been underrepresented,” said Patrick Brien of the Riverside Arts Council. “We have had collective voices in Riverside County and in San Bernardino County, but never a collective voice that brings the two counties together. With the partnerships we have and that we are continuing to build, this is an exciting time.”
Arts for I.E. is committed the following four initiatives: 1.Advocating for the arts locally and statewide as one voice for the Inland Empire, bringing together businesses, organizations, elected officials, and artists at monthly convenings.
1.Increasing access to the arts for vulnerable and underrepresented populations within the Inland Empire through individual and organizational development and mentorship opportunities.
1.Establishing an art fund to serve diverse arts organizations across the region.
1.Creating an online community engagement forum for IE artists and arts organizations to share resources, programs and services, events and ideas to establish deeper connections within the arts.
“For the first time in history we’ve created a platform for artists and arts organizations across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, to have a voice and the opportunity to be trained and paired with mentors to fast track their efforts to create immediate change and endless opportunities. Which is needed now more than ever for diversity to become achievable, and sustainable,” stated Josiah Bruny.
The Arts for I.E. collaborative is already making headway in the region and has a total of twenty-nine partner organizations on board, with more outreach taking place for artists and arts organizations to join.
If you would like to join the Arts for I.E. collaborative or would like more information, please contact [email protected].
